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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSR - PP 06-18 / CUP 06-15 - JWDA Architecture ( � �. n' , �'�-� CITY OF PALM DESERT � � DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT STAFF REPORT REQUEST: Consideration of approval of a Precise Plan of Design and Conditional Use Permit to allow the construction of a new 88-room hotel and restaurant pad, including a height exception to allow a maximum height of 52 feet. The subject property is located at 75-144 Gerald Ford Drive. SUBMITTED BY: Ryan Stendell ��Ng pA� J � �(� -07 Associate Planner L'�CONTtNUED TO I 1 ' g`O� APPLICANT: Patrick Yang, JWDA Q PAS3ED TO 2ND READING 529 E. Valley Blvd. Suite 228-A San Gabriel, CA 91776 CASE NOS: PP 06-18 and CUP 06-15 DATE: October 11, 2007 CONTENTS: Draft Resolution Legat Notice Comments from other departments Planning Commission Minutes Plans and exhibits I. RECOMMENDATION: That the City Council waive further reading and adopt Resolution No. 0�-68 ; approval a Precise Plan of Design and Conditional Use Permit to allow the construction of an 88-room hotel and restaurant pad, including a height exception to allow a maximum height of 52 feet. Staff Report PP 06-18, CUP 06-15 October 11, 2007 Page 2 of 6 II. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Approval of this request will grant approval of a new 88-room hotel and restaurant pad with a height of 44 feet, 6 inches to the main parapet and 52 feet to the tower elements. The proposed project has been approved by the Architectural Review Commission and the Planning Commission. The proposed height exception is consistent with previously approved and constructed hotels found within the City. III. BACKGROUND: A. Property Description: The subject property is located on Gerald Ford Drive, east of Cook Street. The property is currently vacant and is zoned Planned Community Development (P.C.D.). The P.C.D. zone allows the developer/property owners flexibiliry in design and requires that a master plan be approved on the property. The property is generally at the lowest elevation in the City. Properties are falling to the north and east in this area making this site 4- feet lower than the existing Hampton Inn at the Corner of Cook Street and Gerald Ford Drive. Buildings in the area range from single-story commercial and industrial buildings to the newly-constructed Valley Center Business Park, which was allowed a height exception to 39 feet 8 inches. To the south is the Cal State San Bernardino, Palm Desert Campus that will also include a number of large buildings as the campus grows. B. Wonder Palms Master Plan: In April of 1997, the City Council approved the Wonder Palms Master Plan, which included 269 acres of land generally between Portola and Cook Street at Interstate 10. Uses identified in the Master Plan included Freeway Oriented Businesses, Regional Commercial, Industrial / Office, and Multi-Family Residential. The subject parcel falls within the Planning Area 4 (PA 4) of the Wonder Palms Master Plan. Planning Area 4 has a land emphasis of Office/Industrial Park, but encourages mixed-use retail and residential uses under a Conditional Use Permit. PA 4 uses the standards of the Planned Industrial (P.I.) zone. (i.�Pl�nnme\R��n SlPndrll\W'nrd U.d.dYP�116�IN CC RI'I'IXX' Staff Report PP 06-18, CUP 06-15 October 11, 2007 Page 3 of 6 C. Planning Commission: At its regular meeting of September 7"', 2007, the Planning Commission reviewed this case. The Commission generally felt that this site was suitable for this proposal because of its topography, proximity to the freeway, and design of the buildings. Commissioner Tschopp commented, "There are very few places where height exceptions work. The site topography, proximity to the freeway and the character of the surrounding buildings lend itself to the height exception." Commissioner Campbell stated, "We need hotels in the City, and I concur with other commissioners that this proposal is in a good location and will serve the surrounding area well." The Planning Commission ultimately endorsed the project by a 3-2 vote (Commissioners Schmidt and Limont voting no.) Commissioner Limont stated, "I am generally opposed to height exceptions. However, I agree that this site is very low and may be able to accommodate the height, but I worry that we are losing the character of Palm Desert." D. Adjacent Zoning and Land Use: North: Planned Industrial / PP 04-35 Office/Industrial Building South: Planned Residential / Cal State San Bernardino East: Planned Industrial / PP 01-22 College Business Park West: Planned Commercial / PP 06-09 Office/Retail IV. PROJECT DESCRIPTION; A. Precise Plan/Conditional Use Permit: The appticant is requesting approval of a precise plan of design and Conditional Use Permit to allow an 88-room hotel and restaurant pad. The hotel design includes one (1) 4-story main hotel building and one (1) detached restaurant pad, which will is for a one-story building. The buildings have two (2) main access points off of Frankonia Court and also share reciprocal access with adjacent properties. Candlewood Hotel is an extended stay product, the rooms are larger and provide more in-room amenities than a typical hotel. The hotel provides an outdoor pool and recreation area, indoor exercise room and a covered walkway to the on- site restaurant. The buildings have been oriented to place the largest mass (four-story) in the middle of the property and farthest away from Gerald Ford. To the front of the main hotel building is a single-story restaurant building, which (j�.U�1:1��i�E�R}:1flSll'fIJCII�W��fQn.IIJV'���IN���H(('. k�.Un(� Staff Report PP 06-18, CUP 06-15 October 11, 2007 Page 4 of 6 serves to soften the transition to the main hotel. The buildings are set back from the front property line (Gerald Ford) 56 feet with an additional 12 feet of landscaped parkway to the curb. The hotel building is set back 95 feet from the west side, 38 feet from the east side and 36 feet from the rear/north property line. Architecture: The architecture of the proposed hotel is a contemporary style with a blend of materials that will compliment the building. The build'+ngs utilize many different colors and textures of stucco and have tile and cultured stone accents. The varied plains and architectural projections give the building nice variety and character. At its meeting of March 13, 2007, the Architectural Review Commission (ARC) reviewed this proposal for the first time. Initially, the Commissioners were not opposed to the height because of the taller buildings in the area. However, the Commission made it clear to the applicant that to gain the endorsement of the ARC for four (4) stories, the design of the project must be extraordinary. Over the next four (4) months, the applicants worked through many ARC meetings addressing items such as depth of architectural elements, colors, textures and landscaping concerns. The Commission ultimately endorsed the buildings unanimously at the June 12, 2007 meeting. (Motion carried 5-0-1-1, Commissioner DeLuna abstaining and Commissioner Gregory absent). Height: The restaurant is designed as a single-level building measuring 20 feet tall to the parapet and 27 feet to the top of the pitched tower element. The hotel is designed as a four-story building measuring 44 feet 6 inches to the parapet with tower elements at 52 feet maximum. Parking: Hotel: Hotels are required to have 1.1 spaces per room plus additional uses found on-site. The 88 rooms will require 97 parking spaces. c;wi�o�����Euc>���s«�rmw,,ra n.a�wE>��n i K cc_Kvr rxx Staff Report PP 06-18, CUP 06-15 October 11, 2007 Page 5 of 6 Restaurant: In addition to the required parking for the hotel, the restaurant parking rate is calculated at 10 spaces per thousand square feet of floor area up to 3,000 square feet. At 2,733 total square feet, the restaurant would be required to have 27 spaces. In situations where restaurants are located on hotel sites, staff has made the argument that most of the users of the on-site restaurant will be guests of the hotel. For that reason, staff is prepared to argue for up to a 50% reduction in the required parking for the restaurant. In this case, the applicant has provided a total of 115 spaces of which 97 go towards the hotel leaving 18 spaces for the restaurant. Eighteen spaces equates to a total reduction of 30% of the required parking for the restaurant. Project Data: TANDARD P.1. PROJECT Front Setback 30' 56' Rear Yard Setback 30' 36' Side Yard Setbacks 30' 95' /38' 30' or two stories; 44'6" to parapet, 52' Hei ht whichever is less to to of tower Lot Covera e 50% 19.3% Parkin 124/115` 115 ' Allows a 30% reduction of the required restaurant parking. V. ANALYSIS: Every multi-story hotel previously approved by the City has required a height exception. These hotels have been built in either the Planned Commercial Resort or Planned Residential zones. This proposal falls within the Wonder Palms Master Plan, Planning Area 4, which encourages a mix of retail and residential type uses under a Conditional Use Permit. The proximity to the freeway and the growing college campus makes this location attractive for this type of development. The Wonder Palms Master Plan requires this project to be compared to the Planned Industrial Zone (P.I.). The P.I. zone height limit is 30 feet, but allows the Planning Commission and City Council to modify those standards through (i�Pl�nnm�Vty�n SlrnJcl�W�RtI UdIBU�P�IN1�IS r��._RIr�D(X� Staff Report PP 06-18, CUP 06-15 October 11, 2007 Page 6 of 6 the entitlement process. The project meets all development standards with exception of the height. Similar hotels within the City have generated approximately $2,500 per room, per year in transient occupancy taxes (T.OT.}. Using that information as a base model, the proposed Candlewood Hotel could generate upwards of $230,000 in T.O.T. monies for the City. The proposed hotel would be well situated to serve the university's needs, including visiting professors and administrators. During the public hearing held at the Planning Commission this project had several people who spoke in support of this project. The proposed site is at the very lowest elevation in the City and in context of the surrounding buildings, this proposal would fit in nicely and provide quality architecture and a new hotel for the Ciry. VI. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW: For the purposes of CEQA, the Director of Community Development has determined that the proposed precise plan and Conditional Use Permit are a C1ass 32, Categorical Exemption, and no further review is necessary. Submitted By: RYAN S NDELL Associate Planner Approval: � LAURI AYLAIA CARLOS O EGA Director of C mun' evelopment City Manager HOMER CROY ACM, Deveiopm t Services G:�PlannmcUtqan Strndel�WorJ U�t:��{'P�w��I%('C_RPI'U(X'